Lot 362: NICÉRON, JEAN FRANÇOIS

LA PERSPECTIVE CURIEUSE OU MAGIE ARTIFICIELLE DES EFFETS MERVEILLEUX. DE L'OPTIQUE, PAR LA VISION DIRECTE. DE LA CATOPTRIQUE, PAR LA REFLEXION DES MIROIRS PLATS, CYLINDRIQUES & CONIQUES. DE LA DIOPTRIQUE, PAR LA REFRACTION DES CRYSTAUX. PARIS: PIERRE BILLAINE, 1638 First edition, folio (362 x 240mm.), half-title, engraved additional title, errata and privilege leaf, 25 engraved plates, contemporary vellum, somewhat browned, marginal dampstaining, half-title frayed, spine repaired at head

Berlin Katalog 4713

Cosimo dell' Angeli, ownership inscription; Libreria Sarti, cancelled inkstamp on printed title; Ricj. Sergj. Bassoli, bookplate

An important work on perspective and optics. The fourth book "contains perhaps the first published reference to Descartes' derivation of the law of refraction (1638) and thus gains some historical significance" (DSB).